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Rock music on piano

what rock tunes have people found work well for solo piano? i don't mean doing 'jazz' versions, but more blues style playing or just straight rock with improvisation.

by marksdg on 05/04/2006, 18:11

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for straight rock, i really like "californication" by the chili peppers. the bridge is one of my all time favorite passages to improvise over.

rhcp's new stuff is sweet by the way, but not for playing on the piano :(

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by grsbmd on 05/04/2006, 18:32

my current favorite is "i am the walrus" by the beatles.
i also like playing imagine, let it be, and "knockin' on heaven's door" by dylan.

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by Jazz+ on 05/04/2006, 18:36

pink floyd, "time"; "sheep"; "comfortably numb"

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by on 05/04/2006, 19:07

"the letter" (joe cocker version)

"feeling alright" (joe cocker version)

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by 7 on 05/04/2006, 19:48

more kid stuff i play occasionally for fun:

rolling stones, "rip this joint"; "turd on the run"; "brown sugar"; etc.
black crowes, "jealous again"
led zeppelin, "trampled under foot"

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by on 05/04/2006, 19:54

allman bros.

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by alhaynes on 05/04/2006, 21:58

i used to do a fairly accurate version of "stairway to heaven" on piano (back before it was played to death). there's no reason that you can't totally jam out on the last section.

as long as i'm on the subject of that end section of "stairway", you can do the same thing with the (almost) identical changes of hendrix's version of "all along the watchtower".

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by 7 on 05/04/2006, 22:06

lynyrd skynyrd stuff.
rockin' pneumonia & the boogie-woogie flu

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by SolArt on 05/06/2006, 17:15

many things by radiohead but especially - karma police. the last section is fantastic to improvise over, especially when you make reference to the incredible final vocal melody and dance around it. after the wobbly haunting chords give way, the final section of "you and whose army?" is probably the most powerful rock piano riff i've heard. gives you an incredible buzz. radiohead really know how to do a great build-up :)

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by skhlentzos on 05/07/2006, 03:52

re radiohead. yeah, we tried exit music - great chords/ and voicings/ but we weren't sufficiently competent to master the time changes.
speaking of build-ups, it seems that our guitarist would like to finish with a massive crescendo on too many numbers. it can be good sometimes but imho the desired effect can be lost after a while. great for finishing a set tho', i should imagine. is this a rock thing or a guitarist thing, i wonder?

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by Kai on 05/07/2006, 08:26

hello josephine, blueberry hill - fats domino

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by Brotherdavies on 05/07/2006, 15:09

"you are so beautiful" joe cocker
nicky hopkins was such a great player. he also did the piano ending
on clapton's famous "layla".
"riders on the storm" doors
needless to say ray manzarek rocks.

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by jmkarns on 05/09/2006, 13:16

bruce hornsby's "that's just the way it is"

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by 7 on 05/09/2006, 14:30

bruce was featured on marian mcpartlands' npr program. i wish i
could have heard him with her.

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by jmkarns on 05/09/2006, 14:58

here's the "official" list of the 200 greatest rock keyboard solos.

i totally agree with it.

https://www.digitaldreamdoor.com/pages/best_keyboard-perf.html

-kalel

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by kalel on 05/14/2006, 23:05

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Rock music on piano

There are 15 comments, leave a comment.

by grsbmd on 05/04/2006, 18:32

by Jazz+ on 05/04/2006, 18:36

by on 05/04/2006, 19:07

by 7 on 05/04/2006, 19:48

by on 05/04/2006, 19:54

by alhaynes on 05/04/2006, 21:58

by 7 on 05/04/2006, 22:06

by SolArt on 05/06/2006, 17:15

by skhlentzos on 05/07/2006, 03:52

by Kai on 05/07/2006, 08:26

by Brotherdavies on 05/07/2006, 15:09

by jmkarns on 05/09/2006, 13:16

by 7 on 05/09/2006, 14:30

by jmkarns on 05/09/2006, 14:58

by kalel on 05/14/2006, 23:05

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Rock music on piano

There are 15 comments, leave a comment.

by grsbmd on 05/04/2006, 18:32

by Jazz+ on 05/04/2006, 18:36

by on 05/04/2006, 19:07

by 7 on 05/04/2006, 19:48

by on 05/04/2006, 19:54

by alhaynes on 05/04/2006, 21:58

by 7 on 05/04/2006, 22:06

by SolArt on 05/06/2006, 17:15

by skhlentzos on 05/07/2006, 03:52

by Kai on 05/07/2006, 08:26

by Brotherdavies on 05/07/2006, 15:09

by jmkarns on 05/09/2006, 13:16

by 7 on 05/09/2006, 14:30

by jmkarns on 05/09/2006, 14:58

by kalel on 05/14/2006, 23:05

Reply to Thread

Jazz Piano Notebook Series

"Latinesque"

LJP Jazz Piano Blogs

Most Recent Discussions

Articles

Top Sheetmusic Picks

Jazz piano education is cool.

Rock on. Follow your passion.

Sign In